Pranahita Pushkaram in December

Hyderabad, Oct 25 (INN): The state government has decided to organise the Pranahita Pushkaram near Muktheshwar Swamy Temple at Kaleshwaram on the river Godavari in Karimnagar district on a grand scale from December 6 to 17. Speaking to media persons here on Monday, Minister for Endowment Gade Venkata Reddy said that the same event was organised for the first time in the district in January, 1999. The state government will now spend Rs 5.50 crore and over 50,000 devotees are expected to take part in the Pushkaram, Mr Venkata Reddy said and added the state road transport corporation will operate a fleet of 150 buses for it.

He said the district administration will take care of hygiene, sanitation, drinking water and erecting of barricades for the smooth conduct of this rare festival at the temple, known as Dakshina Kasi, which was supposed to give Moksha to those worshipping there. Irrigation Minister Ponnala Laxmaiah, Higher Education Minister D Sridhar Babu, Principal Secretary (Endowments) Ramanachary and District Collector G D Aruna were present.